Hello Friend,
Happy New Month!
I wish you a productive new one ahead.
Today, I want to talk about remote work scams and how to identify them. With more and more companies embracing remote work, it's no surprise that remote job scams are also rising.
As tempting as some of those "work from home and make $5,000 a month" ads sound, you've got to be vigilant. A friend recently fell victim to one of these scams, so I want to share what I learned to help others avoid the same mistakes.
Let me start with a short story.
Last month, I discussed this with a friend who told me about his experience. He came across remote job ads and a perfect posting—it was a social media manager role with a fully remote lifestyle brand.
The role offered a salary almost double what he made at the time. He was thrilled! he applied immediately and heard back within a day from Sam, who said he was the founder.
He and Sam had a great intro call. He was friendly, and laidback, and asked thoughtful questions about his background.
Afterward, Sam said my friend was exactly what they were looking for and made him a verbal offer on the spot for $7,000 more than the posting stated.
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My friend was ecstatic and accepted immediately. But that's when things started to get fishy...
Sam said in order to formalize the offer, he needed to pay $250 for "background check and onboarding fees." He thought it was odd, but he didn't want to lose this opportunity over $250. Rasheed paid up.
Afterward, Sam disappeared. No calls, no emails, nothing. That's when he knew he had been scammed.
The reality is, that many unscrupulous individuals are out there taking advantage of job seekers.
But there are ways to spot the signs early and avoid falling victim.
Here are a few tips:
Research the company thoroughly:
Scammers typically use fake company names or pretend to represent legitimate brands. Google the company name + words like "scam" or "review" to uncover any red flags.
Check their website carefully too:
Unprofessional design, stock photos, broken links, and grammatical errors are telltale signs of a scam. Try to find the company name on LinkedIn to verify it exists.
Beware of too-good-to-be-true offers:If the salary, benefits, or work conditions sound unrealistic compared to similar roles at legit companies, it's likely a scam. Be skeptical of claims like "Earn $5000/month working just 10 hours per week!" Real remote jobs require real work.
Don't pay any fees:
Legit employers cover any expenses related to background checks or onboarding. Asking applicants to pay is a huge red flag.
Common "fees" to watch out for include training, equipment, taxes, or even direct deposit setup. Never pay an employer to start working for them!
Watch out for shady "interview" tactics:
Scammers often skip formal interviews with multiple rounds and have a casual intro call instead. They then make verbal offers to get victims to pay "fees" to secure the role. If the interview process seems lacking, that's a big warning sign.
Don't bank on most "work from home" roles:
Scammers know remote work is popular and use bogus "virtual assistant" or "customer service rep" roles to lure applicants. Sticking to established companies and roles clearly suited to remote work is safest.
Check for legitimate contact info:Ensure the job listing includes a company phone number, email, and physical address you can independently verify. Some scammers list fake addresses to appear legit.
Trust your gut:If something feels off, it probably is. Don't ignore any doubts just because you really want the job. Any fishy behavior, defensive responses to questions, or rush tactics are bad signs.
Takehome:These tips can help you avoid falling for remote work scams. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Do your research and listen to your instincts. Feel free to contact me if you want me to review a job lead. I'm happy to help however I can.
EXTRA: I was accepted into the Forbes Black Community as a new member last week. What this means is I am now one of the few black leaders doing amazing things in different sectors globally.
All thanks to your help, I am going places. I look forward to your continued support by sharing my newsletter.
Cheers!
